You probably already know about Amazon's Echo smart speakers, Fire tablets, and Kindle ebook readers—maybe you even own some of them. But did you know Amazon also makes and sells its own smart glasses? Dubbed Amazon Day 1 Editions, the company offers a few offbeat and unique devices reserved for early adopters who sign up for an invite to buy them and are given the opportunity to offer feedback on their usage experience. The Amazon Echo Frames, reviewed here, are one such product. They're a pair of glasses with directed speakers and beamforming microphones that let you use Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant wherever you go. They also serve as Bluetooth headphones, so you can use them to listen to audiobooks, music, podcasts, and anything else you'd use a pair of headphones for. For $179.99, the Echo Frames are intriguing, but they don't quite live up to their asking price in terms of audio or build quality.Design and FeaturesThe Echo Frames look like a pair of unassuming black glasses, at least from the front. The actual frames around the lenses are slim, black plastic that are similar in shape to several of my regular glasses. The arms are where you can notice this isn't your typical pair of specs, with chunky rectangles on the temple area to accommodate the electronics. The right arm features a power button and a volume rocker on the underside, in front of a connector for the magnetic charging cable. The outward-facing side of the right arm also holds a touch-sensitive strip used to control notifications and audio playback. Four holes on the top and bottom of each arm show where the stereo speakers are.This isn’t an augmented reality headset, like Microsoft's HoloLens, so you won’t see any sort of picture projected in front of your eyes through the lenses or anything advanced like that. However, you will see a helpful indicator light in the upper periphery of your right eye. A colored LED is hidden in the top edge there, and glows blue when you summon Alexa, a visual indicator that the Echo Frames are active. The Frames are light and comfortable to wear despite the chunky temples. As far as durability goes, the glasses are rated IPX4, which means they can handle sweat, but they aren’t designed to be worn in a downpour and they shouldn’t be submerged in water or rinsed off. They also feel a bit flimsy. While the arms are solid, the frames around the lenses feel like cheap plastic compared with the acrylic and metal models I'm used to wearing. While the Echo Frames held up fine in a few days of testing, it feels like they can easily snap with a bit too much pressure across the bridge.You can’t get the Frames made with prescription lenses, and all units ship with neutral plastic lenses that don’t affect your vision. According to Amazon, “most eyewear professionals” can provide prescription lenses that fit the Frames.In addition to the glasses, you get a USB charging cable, a USB wall adapter, a microfiber cleaning cloth, and a sturdy rectangular case covered in black faux leather.Amazon describes battery life for the Frames in unusually specific ways. It says that with intermittent usage, the glasses should last 14 hours at 60-percent volume levels, and that intermittent usage includes 40 Alexa requests, 45 minutes of audio playback, 20 minutes of phone calls, and 90 incoming notifications over that 14-hour period. Otherwise, Amazon says that the Echo Frames can play audio at 60-percent volume for three hours, which isn’t particularly impressive; even inexpensive wire-free earphones can usually last four to six hours between charges. Alexa On Your FaceSetting up the Echo Frames is just like any other Echo device. Load the Alexa app (for Android or iOS) on your phone, tap Add Device, then scroll down to select the Echo Frames. The app walks you through turning the Frames on, connecting them to your phone over Bluetooth, and enabling notifications from your phone. The app then shows you how to control the Frames with your voice and the touch-sensitive strip on the right temple, and gives you some suggestions about what to do with them.Like other Alexa devices, the Echo Frames require an internet connection to function. This comes entirely through your paired smartphone, using your phone’s data plan or Wi-Fi connection. As long as you’re near your phone (within Bluetooth range, typically 30 feet), you can use the Frames to access Alexa.To activate voice control, just say, “Alexa,” then state your request. You can also press the power button on the right arm, which doubles as an action button that brings up Alexa. The status light over your right eye will glow blue, indicating Alexa is listening, and a response will be delivered to your ears via the speakers built into the temples. As far as Alexa controls go, you can do anything with Amazon's voice assistant through the Frames that you can through a smart speaker or other Alexa device. That means you can ask Alexa to check the weather, tell you the news, read you a recipe, or even control compatible smart home devices.When you get a notification on your phone, the Frames will let you know what app is trying to get your attention. You can swipe forward on the touch stripe on the right temple to have the notification read to you, or tap to dismiss the notification. Audio PerformanceThe speakers in the Echo Frames provide surprisingly clear audio, at least in the mids and highs, but they fail completely in terms of bass reproduction. Basically, while audiobooks and podcasts come through clearly, you won’t get a musical experience remotely close to what you can get from a pair of conventional headphones or earphones that cost half as much. It's also worth noting that you shouldn't expect much privacy when wearing the Frames; any audio coming through can also be heard by people near you.In our bass test track, The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” the bass synth notes and kick drum hits sound like distant taps through the Frames, and low-end elements in other tracks sound similarly hollow.How We Test HeadphonesThe steady drumbeat of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” sounds weak here, though vocals and guitar plucks come through cleanly, with string texture in the highs and some resonance in the mids. The Crystal Method’s “Born Too Slow” has a similar highs-focused balance, with the guitar riffs and vocals standing out and the usually ominous backbeat relegated to quiet taps.When it comes to music, the similarly priced Bose Frames sunglasses offer stronger sound quality, though neither pair excels in terms of bass depth.On the bright side, the audio balance through the Echo Frames helps phone calls come through clearly, and the microphones work just as well for talking to other people as they do for giving Alexa commands. My voice was clean and easy to hear in test calls. A Day 1 Edition for a ReasonThe Amazon Echo Frames are interesting, but there’s a reason they’re a Day 1 Edition and not a widely released consumer product. They work as designed, giving you easy access to Alexa wherever you wear them—as long as your phone is also nearby. The sound quality is really only good for listening to books or podcasts, however, and the build quality feels a bit cheap. For $180 (with a planned retail price of $250), the Echo Frames should really feel and sound better—the Bose Frames have a definite advantage in these regards.If you really want hands-free Alexa as you walk around, smart earphones like Amazon's own Echo Buds offer the same easy access to Amazon’s voice assistant for $50 less, and they sound much better. Many other earphones and headphones, meanwhile, offer voice assistant access at the touch of a button, allowing you to access Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri. The Echo Frames give you access to hands-free Alexa as promised, but ultimately they're more of a novelty than a must-have accessory. Best Wearable Picks Further Reading

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